


Runner

by erikahk



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-03-20
Packaged: 2017-12-05 22:19:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/728522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erikahk/pseuds/erikahk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When his breathing finally evened out, John let himself be overcome by the need to rest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Runner

**Author's Note:**

> Written with the help of [Write or Die](http://writeordie.drwicked.com/). It's a useful site for people that need an extra incentive to write. It is an application that has several settings, one of which is that your text will start to be deleted word by word if you stop writing. Evil I say! Evil!

His back scrapped on the rough ground, the gravel digging into his bones. Though he had been warned it wouldn't be pleasant, he wasn't quite ready for exactly how unpleasant it actually was.

He was breathing hard, lungs straining to keep working, each breath both a relief and a torment to draw. He forced his chest to continue moving, one second turning to two then three. His vision slowly cleared, dark spots turning to gray then disappearing. He resisted the urge to let his eyelids slide close then shook his head as best as he could. He ended up squeezing them anyway because of the nausea the movement caused. His body wanted to relax under the coolness of the trees' shadows, the pains, scrapes and bruises becoming less urgent than the exhaustion.

Let them be. Just a bit of rest and he would be all right.

Just for a little while.

He didn't open his eyes. When his breathing finally evened out, John let himself be overcome by the need to rest.

\------------

John inhaled sharply and snapped his eyes open. He shuddered at the coldness that penetrated his body from the humid earth beneath his body and stared above, heart rate climbing fast when he noticed the stars blinking their existence in the black sky.

How long had he lost?

John struggled upright, a groan escaping from his throat when his muscles complained with all their might. He sagged back on the ground, air coming hard to him as if he had run a marathon with Ronon instead of simply attempting to get up.

"You have to keep moving."

The whisper was barely audible even to him. John swallowed and closed his hands, the soreness in his arms making his fists shake with the feeble strain he put into them. John took a deep breath and forced his body to cooperate, squeezing his eyes and grunting until he was falling forward from a sitting position. He caught himself mid fall, satisfied for being able to make it this far.

Now he only had to actually stand. The he would have to walk. Then he would have to run.

One thing at a time.

He let himself recover before he planted his hands on the ground and bent his legs. He didn't wait for his body to protest and simply commanded his legs to work despite everything they wanted to scream at him.

He wondered how the hell Ronon managed to live like this for seven years. Ronon would probably snarl at him for being too slow and too soft. John didn't last for more than a week before he started praying for a warm cozy bed and clean bandages.

Soft brushing of leaves had John running before he fully realized he had made it upward.

He stumbled a few meters ahead and almost ended up with his face planted on the ground again, but a tree caught his hand right on time. John didn't take a second breath to recover and was back to running.

At his current pace he was ashamed of calling it even a jog.

It was the best that he could give at the moment so he didn't complain. It was way better than the alternative.

He was running out of time. He cursed himself for that moment of weakness that lost him this planet's entire afternoon. Now, it was either getting to the gate or being caught.

John heard the heavy footsteps following him, getting louder and clearer by the second. He should have been going to the opposite direction, trying to find some cover, someplace to hide and put some traps. Now, he had to double back and try again on the next planet.

Surprised, John skidded to a stop, catching the DHD so prevent himself from falling. It wasn't as far as he had thought. He dialed the first address that came to mind, without even remembering if it was inhabited or not. He did, however, remember it wasn't in orbit. He dragged himself through the event horizon and breathed deep the fresh flowery air of a bright sunny day.

He took a few moments to adjust to the new level of light then jogged ahead.

...

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, that's it. I've thought about making it a full epic fic, but the level of epicness would be too much for me to tackle, so do not expect a continuation. Sorry. Really, really sorry. I would really love to read it though.


End file.
